Ch.10 Karma

Rating: PG

Author's notes: I just needed a way to get Terri into the hospital. Forgive me if the "volunteer" thing if half-fast and unrealistic.

"Terri! Here's your rounds." Terri's boss handed her a piece of paper.

"Thanks." She looked it over. She looked at her first round. "Coma, gun shot wound. Room 230." Simple enough. She headed off to room 230.

After leaving Degrassi, Terri had decided to become a doctor. When she heard that the hospital needed volunteers to help out, she jumped on the chance.

Before going in, she looked at the chart. "Name: Richard Murry, Gender: Ma-" Terri stopped and did a double take. She rechecked the name to make sure she had read it right; she had.

"Hey Rose?" She got the attention of another volunteer as she walked by.

"Yeah baby?" The woman was an elderly friend of Terri's.

"Do you think that you could take care of this round for me? Personal favor?" Rose was like Terri's adopted grandmother. She knew she could count on her.

"Of course honey." She smiled and walked into the room.

Terri walked away; there was a scared look on her face. She knew that an unconscious Rick shouldn't scare her, but he did. After all, he had put her in a coma. She sighed as she starting making her rounds.

"Hey honey." Rose greeted Terri as she walked into the break room.

"Hey Rose." Terri frowned as she picked at her salad. She had spent all day thinking about Rick.

"What's the matter child?" Rose sat down next to her. "Is it about that boy, the one you wanted me to take care of for you?"

She nodded. "Ex-boyfriend. He was abusive; put me in a coma."

"Oh." Rose sat back and looked at Terri.

"So what happened with him? Why was he in the hospital?" She shoved her salad away and looked up.

"Well, I don't know the whole story, but I do know that it was an attempted suicide. It seems that someone tarred him during an awards ceremony. He had a gun and tried to shoot himself in the head. It would have been fatal had a teacher not stepped in."

Terri looked at her hands, still frowning. "I gotta go." She stood up and walked out, leaving Rose to herself.

Okay Terri, just relax. He's in a coma; he can't hurt you. She took a deep breath and entered room 230. To her surprise, a blonde-haired girl was sitting at the foot of Rick's bed. She was covered in what was either red paint or blood.

"Why did you do this Rick? It was just paint…" She turned her head to the doorway and locked eyes with Terri. There were tears running down her face. "Terri, I presume?" Her voice was emotionless.

"Yeah. Who are you?" Terri looked from the girl to Rick.

"I'm Emma." She glanced back to Rick as well. "I went to school with him. I saw him do this…" Terri knew she was referring to his suicide attempt.

"Why'd he do it?" Terri sat down next to her.

"Because of Spinner and Jay and them…" Emma looked up again, fresh tears flowing off of her face. "I know what he did to you Terri. I do. It's just… over the past few days, I've gotten to know him, and I think he's changed. Every time Spinner shoved him into his locker, Jay threw him on the ground, or Paige would tell him off, he'd just walk away…" Emma wiped her face off. "He was sorry." A look of anger flashed across her face. "They didn't care. Instead of leaving him alone, they cover him in paint and tampons, completely degrading him during his moment of honor." She held up a plaque covered in red paint. She licked her finger and scrubbed part of it off, revealing the words "Exemplary Academic Achievement Award".

"So basically…" Terri paused, "Rick tried to kill himself because of Spinner?"

"And Jay, and Paige, and everyone else in the school."

Terri looked at Emma and Rick. They didn't deserve this. Placing her hand on Emma's shoulder, she tried to comfort her. "I'm really sorry about this. If I'd known-"

Emma shook her head. "This isn't your fault." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to Terri. "I don't think Rick meant for you to see this, but you should read it anyway."

Terri opened it up. It was a letter to her from Rick. "Oh my God…" A tear fell from her face. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever read.

"Terri," Emma's voice came out in a shaky whisper, "he was sorry. He really was…"

"I… I have to go." She rose up. Emma nodded, understanding.

You all remember the letter right? Dearest Terri?